Muscle Cramps Causes, Spasms And Potassium: Calf Muscle Cramp Treatment?
Muscle Cramps Causes, Spasms And Potassium
Muscle cramps are a very common occurrence and each and every individual will experience a muscle cramp at least once in the course of their lives. Muscle cramps can have varying degrees of effect on a person’s daily life depending largely on the type of muscle affected and its importance in carrying out daily functions. In most cases muscle cramps occur as a result of excessively excited nerves that stimulate the muscles. This is most likely to happen after an injury to the nerve or muscle, dehydration, from the consumption of certain medicines or even low blood levels of potassium, magnesium and calcium. When active, the muscles are in a constant state of contraction and relaxation. If the muscle starts to involuntarily act without any conscious effort by the affected individual, it is called a ‘spasm’. A cramp is a more forceful and sustained spasm and causes a visible and palpable hardening of the involved muscle. Excess weight is also known to be one of the most significant contributors when it comes to leg muscle cramps especially when the individual has remained standing for a long time. This puts the feet under considerable amount of strain for a significantly long period of time. It is very common for a muscle cramp to last for up to quarter of an hour, causing a considerable amount of discomfort. The cramps may also tend to re-occur periodically until the muscle has completely relaxed and is not forced to perform any sudden reactions from a state of rest.
Calf Muscle Cramp Treatment
Almost any sportsman will perform a number of muscle warming exercises specifically to avoid the occurrence of a cramp in the middle of a game. Specifically for calf muscle cramps, one should stand 2or 2.5 feet from the wall, lean towards it, place your forearms against the wall while keeping your knees back and straight, making sure that your heels are in contact with the floor. You should also try keeping your legs as straight as possible while pulling your toes up towards your head. Elderly people usually face problems of cramp as a result of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium from food and an intake of about 800 units is required. There are a number of other medical conditions in elderly people that could have an effect in the occurrence and reoccurrences of muscle spasms. The diuretics used to fight conditions like hypertension and heart failure cause a loss of calcium and magnesium.
